KEY POINTS
- Russia reiterated its strong opposition to the US strikes on Iran
- Moscow urged diplomatic efforts to end hostilities
- Putin reaffirmed ties with Iran, calling relations long-standing and reliable
- Iranian FM Araghchi thanked Russia for its stance and labelled the US-Israeli actions as violations of international law
- Russia offered mediation and potential military support, depending on Iran’s requests
MOSCOW: Russian President Vladimir Putin on Monday condemned the United States’ airstrikes on Iran’s nuclear facilities, describing them as an “unprovoked aggression with no justification”.
“This is an absolutely unprovoked act of aggression against Iran; it has no basis or justification,” Putin said during the meeting with the visiting Iranian Foreign Minister in Moscow, state-run TASS news agency reported.
Putin reiterated Russia’s stance, emphasising, “Our position on the current events is well known. It has been clearly articulated by the Ministry of Foreign Affairs on behalf of Russia.”
As outlined in the Russian Foreign Ministry’s earlier statement, Moscow strongly condemns the American attacks on Iran’s nuclear facilities. The ministry called for an immediate end to hostilities and urged increased diplomatic efforts to steer the situation back onto a political and peaceful track, TASS reported.
Kremlin ‘deeply regrets’ US strikes
Kremlin spokesman Dmitry Peskov on Monday said it “deeply regrets” US airstrikes on Iran’s nuclear facilities over the weekend, adding that it had not been informed in advance and expressing support for Tehran, The Moscow Times reported.
“We, of course, condemn the growing number of participants in this conflict and the renewed escalation of tensions in the region, and we express deep regret in this regard,” Peskov told reporters as quoted by The Moscow Times.
He added that, while Putin and US President Donald Trump had discussed Iran’s nuclear programme in recent phone calls, Washington had not provided Moscow with “detailed information” about its planned operation.
“As you know, I have spoken on the phone with the president of the United States, the Israeli PM, the President of the United Arab Emirates, and also your President. I know that you have recently met with foreign ministers in Europe,” Putin told Araghchi as quoted by Iran’s semi-government Mehr news agency.
Putin said, “We have long-standing, good and reliable relations with Iran; we are trying our part to help the Iranian people and to explore how we can find a solution,” Putin said as quoted by Mehr news agency.
Iran is defending itself legitimately: Araghchi
During the meeting, the Iranian Foreign Minister conveyed the greetings of the Iranian Leader and the President to the Russian President and appreciated Moscow’s positions after the military aggression of the US and the Israeli regime against Iran, Mehr news agency reported.
Expressing his satisfaction with the meeting with Putin, Araghchi said, “This meeting is taking place in the dangerous conditions that are taking place in the region. Iran-Russia relations are close and old, and in recent years they have been upgraded to a strategic aspect. We have always had close consultations with our friends in Russia. On the Iranian nuclear issue, Russia has been Iran’s partner and companion and has also been present in the nuclear negotiations.”
Iranian Foreign Minister stated, “We thank Russia for its very strong and correct stance in condemning these aggressions, and Russia is on the right track in accordance with international law.
He noted, “The level of tension is now increasing due to the unprovoked aggression of the Israeli regime and the US, and the aggressions are against the UN charter and international law, and the Islamic Republic of Iran is defending itself legitimately against these aggressions.”
How Russia can support Iran
The Kremlin spokesperson said that Russia can offer various forms of support to Iran amid the escalation in the Middle East, but it is up to Tehran to articulate what help it wants, TASS reported.
“It all depends on what Iran needs,” he told a briefing. “We have offered our mediation efforts. This is concrete. We have stated our position, which is also a very important form of support for the Iranian side. Going forward, everything will depend on what Iran needs at this moment.”
When asked what obligations Moscow is ready to take on as an international mediator and whether it is ready to supply Iran with weapons, including S300 and S400 air defence systems, Peskov reiterated that “everything depends on what the Iranian side, what our Iranian friends say, TASS reported.
The escalation began on June 13, when Israel launched a military operation against Iran. Less than a day later, Tehran responded with retaliatory strikes. The cycle of mutual attacks has persisted and both sides reported deaths and injuries and admitted that several targets on their territories were hit.
The United States joined the armed conflict nine days after its escalation: on the night of June 22, American bombers attacked three Iranian nuclear facilities in Fordow, Natanz and Isfahan.
